Machine for manufacturing spherical bodies



Oct. 4, 1932. J LY 1,880,916

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING SPHERICAL BODIES Filed May 25. 1928 I Hi IN VEN TOR.

ATTokN Y Patented. Oct. 4, 1932 v UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE JOHN F. EARLY, OF CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE AKBO AGATE COM- PANY, OF AKRON, 0310, A CORPORATION OF OHIO which MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING SPHERICAL BODIES Application filed May 25, 1928. .Serial No. 280,429.

The present invention relates to apparatus for forming spherical bodies and has for an object to provide an improved machine in which suitable charges are fed automatically to forming rolls.

The invention has been developed in connection with the production of apparatus for forming glass marbles and for convenience such an embodiment will be described to illustrate the principles of the invention. The mechanism for feeding, for example, charges of glass of a size suitable for forming marbles, is capable of feeding the charges much more rapidly than the forming rolls, as commonly made, are capable of receiving such charges and rolling the same to finished form.

The present invention provides a machine in which a, plurality of sets of rolls are arranged to receive successive charges from one automatic feedin mechanism.

The nature and o jects of the invention will more fully appear from a description of a particular illustrative embodiment thereof for the purpose of which description reference should be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof and in Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a machine for forming marbles from glass or other plastic material,

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a portion of tha machine taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, an

Figure 3 is a detail view showing a development of the cam controllin the feeding of charges to the two sets of ro ls.

In the apparatus shown for the purposes of illustration, two similar pairs of marble forming rolls 5, 6 and 7, 8 arearranged end to end with feeding mechanism for supplying charges of glass in plastic condition positionedtodeliversuccessivecharges alternately to the forming grooves of the two pairs of rolls. The two sets of forming grooves are oppositely directed so that they may be fed at their adjacent ends and the formed marbles may be delivered toward both outer ends of said rolls.

A suitable automatic feeding device 10 is arranged above the rolls to deliver successively charges of plastic material'at desired intervals and in desired sizes. The feeding mechof the grooves of the two pairs of rolls. By I this arrangement the feeding mechanism may be operated at maximum speed. and the sue cessive charges will be spaced a suflicient distance along the grooves of the rolls in operation so that they will not interfere with each other and true spherical bodies will be formed. As shown, the guiding means comprises a guide 15 which is controlled by a cam 16 which may conveniently be carried on one of the roll shafts at the outer end of one of the rolls. The guide is carried on a suitable slide 17 supported by a bracket 18 attached to the frame of the machine. A follower 19 engages the cam and is connected by a link 20 to the guide to control the same.

It is desirable that the ide may be accurately positioned over t e center of the forming groove at the moment the charge of material is fed to said groove. Accordingly the cam 16 is so shaped that one portion 21 rolls to maintain the guide centered thereover during the feed of one charge and another portion 22 of the groove similarly corresponds to the pitch of the groove of the other set of rolls to center the guide thereover during the feed of the next charge. The.

intermediate portions of the cam indicated at 23 and 24 may be formed to rapidly transfer the guide from position over the groove of one set of rolls across the intervening space to operative position over the groove of the other set of rolls.

Beneath the rolls channel members 26, 27 receive the finished marbles and convey them to a suitable sorting device. The apparatus shown comprises a pair of angle irons 28, 29

of its operative groove corresponds to the I pitch of the forming grooves of one pair of.

:ceive the marbles in assorted sizes.

The particular description of the, fore 0- ing embodiment is illustrative merely an is not intended as defining the limits of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a machine for forming spherical bodies, the combination with a plurality of pairs of rolls arranged end to end each pair of rolls having cooperating peripheral grooves of means for feeding successive char es of molten material at a fixed point, a gulde for directing said charges into the rooves of the two pairs of rolls and means or shifting said guide to maintain it in substantial registration with the grooves of both pairs of rolls alternately comprising a cam aving two portions adapted for moving the guide slowly while maintaining it in registration with one or the other of the grooves of said pairs of rolls and intermediate portions for shifting the guide quickly from the groove of one pair of rolls to the groove of the other pair of rolls.

2, In a machine for forming spherical bodies, the combination with pairs of helically grooved rolls arranged end to end and hav ing the forming portions of the grooves of the pairs of said rolls in substantially the same horizontal plane, the feed ends of the grooves in said rolls being adjacent to each other, means for feeding'successive charges of molten material to said rolls, said means comprising an oscillatory guide arranged with each'oscillation to deposit unformed masses of glass alternately in the adjacent grooves of each pair of rolls, the forming portions of each pair of rolls comprising means for simultaneously supporting, forming and conveying the successive -charges of molten material in diametrically opposite directions from the point of deposit on the rolls to the point of delivery therefrom.

3; In a machine for forming spherical bodies, the combination with pairs of helically grooved rolls mounted on parallel axes, each roll of one pair having an axis in alignment with'a roll of the other pair and the formin portions of each pair being in sub stantially the same horizontal plane, means for alternately feeding successive charges of unformed molten material to 'each pair of said rolls at their adjacent ends, said means comprising an oscillatory guide adapted in each oscillation to direct a predetermined quantity of molten material alternately into the forming portion of each pair of rolls.

4. In a machine ,for forming spherical bodies, the combination with a plurality oppositely arranged rolls having sets 0 cogrooves having adjacent feed endsand operating helicalperipheral grooves, the sets the cutofi mechanism, and means for shifting the discharge end of said guide to maintam such discharge end in substantial registration with the feed end of either set of grooves in alternation.

5. In a machine for forming spherical bodies, the combination with a plurality of pairs of rolls arranged end to end, each pair of rolls having cooperating eripheral grooves adapted to form and a Vance the bodies, of means for feeding successive charges of molten material, including a cutoff mechanism, a guide for receiving the said charges having its receiving end always in Vertical alignment with the cutoff mechanisin, and means for shifting the discharge end of said guide to maintain suchdischarge end in substantial registration directly with the grooves of either pair of rolls alternately during delivery of alternate charges thereinto. I

6. In a machine for forming spherical bodies the combination with a plurality of pairs of rolls arranged end to end, each pair of rolls having cooperating eripheral grooves adapted to form and a Vance the May, 1928.

JOHN F. EARLY. 

